Water Meter

All of Winston-Dillard Water meters are read manually once a month. Nearly all residential meters in service have a similar variation of the dial. The register has a sweep hand which measures water usage in gallons. One complete revolution equals ten gallons of water through the meter. The odometer-type register in the middle of the dial registers the hundreds of gallons used. To read the meter you record the numbers from the odometer-type register. Since the odometer registers in hundreds of gallons you do not record the last two numbers. (The last number is a permanent number and the next dial registers tenths.) The remaining dials register the actual (in hundreds) water used. Subtract the previous reading from the new reading and you will know how many hundreds of gallons of water you have used.

The set up in your meter box should include the curb/angle stop, the meter and customers globe valve. Some customers will be required to have a backflow preventer, which will be located in a separate box adjacent to the meter box. All services are required to have a pressure regulator (PRV) installed on the customers side of the system due to the high pressure within the distribution system. The customer globe valve is provided to
allow customers to shut off the flow of water to their residence if you are planning on doing some type of plumbing work or have an emergency. Do not use the curb/angle stop located just before the meter to shut off the flow of water to your residence. The curb/angle stop is the property of the Water District, it is not designed for constant use and is very easy to damage or ruin. Please, always use the customer globe valve to stop or control the flow of water to your residence.

Meter Box

Curb/Angle Stop

Water Meter

Customer Globe Valve

Pressure Regulator (PRV)

Leak Information

Leak FactsUnseen or unfixed, they can drip hundreds even thousands of gallons of water wastefully down the drain. A little detective work several times a year can catch these water leaks, save you dollars and stop wasting our precious resource. “By water all things find life.”

Studies show that dripping faucets and leaking toilets account for as much as 14% of all indoor water use, equivalent to 10 gallons per personof water lost per day.

FaucetsMost leaks results from worn washers in household faucets and shower heads. These faucets, as well as seldom-used taps should be checked periodically. Faucet leaks are usually caused by worn washers or O-ring for washer-less faucets. Repairing faucet leaks is easy. All you have to do is turn off the water supply line to that faucet, replace the washer and turn on the line again. If you are not a do-it-yourselfer, have the work done by someone who knows how to do that job.

Toilets The toilet is one of the most common water wasters, but toilet leaks tend to be less noticeable than a faucet leak. To determine if your toiletis leaking, look at the toilet bowl after the tank has stopped filling. If water is still running into the bowl, or if water can be heard running, your toilet is leaking. Most toilet leaks occur at the overflow pipe or at the plunger ball inside the tank. To locate a toilet leak take the tank lid off and flush. The water level should come up to about a half-inch or so below the overflow pipe. Adjust the float level control screw, if necessary, so the valve shuts off the water at that level. If the valve itself is leaking, you may need a plumber to fix it. Although water may not be seen or heard running, your toilet may have a silent leak. To test for a silent, drop a little food coloring (or we have packets available in the office) into the tank. DO NOT FLUSH! Wait for about 10 minutes. If the food coloring appears in the toilet bowel, your toilet has a silent leak. It is probably located in or around the plunger ball or flapper valve at the bottom of the tank. These leaks are also easy to fix with parts from a hardware store.

Outside TapsCheck the outside taps for leaking water, particularly during the summer. A hose mistakenly left dribbling away in the grass can waste thousandsof gallons of water over the course of the summer. Remember to close outside faucets tightly every time you shut off the water!

Leak Adjustment Policy

Policy: The District allows for a leak adjustment credit because of loss of water through an “excusable defect” in the customers water line. An excusable defect is due to a rupture or leakage caused by weather, settlement, corrosion, wear, or accident. Visible leaks such as faucet and hose leaks are ineligible.

Single dwelling residences with ¾” or 1” meters with excusable defect.

Bill must be over $300.00.

Only 75% of remaining bill over $300.00 is eligible to be forgiven.

Two consecutive billing cycles, one time per meter every 5 years.

Proof of leak and repair are required. In all cases the District retains the right to make field verifications before approving leak adjustments.

Payments:

Outstanding balance is due on regularly scheduled date.

If monthly payments are needed and requested, the District may allow 1 year to retire this debt, with minimum payment equaling outstanding debt divided by 12.

This payment will be in addition to current monthly service bill.

Signers’ failure to meet monthly payment requirements will subject this account to regular non-payment shut off and all applicable fees per current policy.

Late fees will be waived providing terms of this agreement are met.

Pressure Regulators

The water system operates at a very high pressure; as a result all domestic water services require a pressure regulator valve (PRV). A properly working PRV provides protection from high pressure which can cause household fixtures to malfunction and puts undo stress on household piping. The PRV is a bell shaped device and is usually installed within 2 feet of the meter on the customers' side. PRVS are preset by the manufacturer and usually do not need to be adjusted. Incorrectly adjusting the PRV could cause pressure that is too low or too high inside the home. The Winston-Dillard Water District personnel can not make repairs or adjust the PRV. The PRV is a part of the homeowners' private water system; we recommend you have a qualified plumber make all repairs and adjustments.